The Bible is clear in the expectation that there ought to be a difference from what we were before the Lord Jesus Christ entered our lives to what we are today. Connecting to the passage from 1st Peter below, we see as he writes to believers, he uses the term obedient children, implying they were once disobedient. Let’s break it down to understand what has taken place and how we might apply it.
1 Peter 1:13–16 (ESV) — 13 Therefore, preparing your minds for action, and being sober-minded, set your hope fully on the grace that will be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ. 14 As obedient children, do not be conformed to the passions of your former ignorance, 15 but as he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, 16 since it is written, “You shall be holy, for I am holy.”
By nature, or if you please, before Christ entered our lives, we are described as being dead in sin, following the course of the devil, and considered to be the children of God’s wrath.
Ephesians 2:1–3 (ESV) — 1 And you were dead in the trespasses and sins 2 in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience— 3 among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind.
We are told that we were even considered darkness before God made a difference in changing us.
Ephesians 5:8 (ESV) — 8 for at one time you were darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light
Considering all that evidence, we might conclude that we would be without hope, which would be correct if not for God’s marvelous grace.
Ephesians 2:4–7 (ESV) — 4 But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, 5even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved— 6 and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, 7 so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.
The hope we have is that we are no longer what we used to be, rather we are brand new creatures in the Lord Jesus Christ. Our status has changed as we are brought into the family of God.
2 Corinthians 5:17 (ESV) — 17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.
Before Christ Jesus entered our lives we could not obey because even our good works were considered filthy rags in the sight of God.
Isaiah 64:6 (ESV) — 6 We have all become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous deeds are like a polluted garment. We all fade like a leaf, and our iniquities, like the wind, take us away.
Since we are no longer what we used to be and the Holy Spirit resides in us to prompt us, help us, and reward us with assurance in doing the good works that God has ordained for us.
Ephesians 2:10 (ESV) — 10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.
Romans 8:14–16 (ESV) — 14 For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God. 15 For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, “Abba! Father!” 16 The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God,
Now we are ready to consider again the admonition in 1Peter.
1 Peter 1:13–16 (ESV) — 13 Therefore, preparing your minds for action, and being sober-minded, set your hope fully on the grace that will be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ. 14 As obedient children, do not be conformed to the passions of your former ignorance, 15 but as he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, 16 since it is written, “You shall be holy, for I am holy.”
Here’s what we are to do:
- Prepare our minds for action.
- Avoid being conformed to the former way of life.
- Focus on God’s call for us to be holy as He is holy.
Romans 12:1–2 (ESV) — 1 I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. 2 Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.
It only makes sense when you reason things out by the Scriptures to see that God in His sovereign grace and mercy has changed us to be different and to make a difference in this world, and we can make a difference as we reflect Him in all that we do.
Godspeed,
Bob Brubaker, Pastor
Christ Community Presbyterian Church
Clearwater, FL
Check out our podcast, The PowerBreak Podcast, wherever you download podcasts or from our website: www.bobbrubaker.com.
